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Year Overview

Your Journey at Toi Whakaari

Toi Whakaari ensures its graduates have a vision of their future and the skills to create their own opportunities.

Through Tikanga-a- Iwi we spark creativity, build trust and ignite passion.

In a three year process you will engage with difference (Tu), grow through collaboration (Raranga) and find individual direction (Waewae). 

Year One

The first year introduces the exploration and development of an actor’s craft within an ensemble.  Critical thinking is supported through the concept of Turanga (difference)and its relationship to historic and current contexts. It concentrates on developing core skills and identifying any inhibitors to the student’s individual talent. The development of professional practice, research and critical skills is instilled through classes and performance.

 

Year 1 Course Outline Core Skills:    Acting for stage and screen    Voice and speech    Movement    Context and practice studies    Turanga    Professional practice Workshop/projects may include: Text investigation Scene study Building a performance Combat skills Voice projects Singing Screen performance Collaborative projects One public performance Auditioning technique

You can check out what an average week looks like for a first year acting student here.

Year Two

In the second year you extend practical and critical skills through applying individual craft questions to a series of public performances, workshops, screen exercises and laboratories. You are encouraged to explore   collaborative processes through Raranga (weaving together) and use performance research methods to plan study trips and independent projects for your third year.

Year 2 Course Outline Core Skills:    Acting for stage and screen    Voice and speech    Movement    Context and practice studies    Raranga   Professional practice Workshop/public performances may include: Film collaboration Classic and contemporary texts Physical theatre Devised performance Community theatre Cabaret Visual theatre Developing business skills Career development Auditioning practice

 

You can check out what an average week looks like for a second year acting student here

Year Three

The third year, (Waewae - moving forward), progresses students towards the professional industry through increased individual specialisation, industry secondments, supervised independent study and collaborative projects. Recent secondments have included working with Black Nexxus in New York, Eugenio Barba in Copenhagen, The Wooster Group in New York; La Mancha International School of Image and Gesture in Santiago; London-based theatre companies Shakespeare’s Globe, Tara Arts (South Asian theatre) and Yellow Earth (Chinese theatre) and a workshop in Paris at Theatre du Soleil. Many exciting relationships have been forged with New Zealand companies such as as Taki Rua , ATC, Radio New Zealand, South Pacific Pictures, Liz Mullane Casting, Playmarket NZ, Sticky Pictures, Red Leap theatre and Fuse Circus.

 

Advanced Skills:    Acting for stage and screen    Voice and speech    Movement    Context and practice studies    Waewae    Independent practice Study and performances may include: A short or feature length film Advanced auditioning practice Voice over and radio work Secondments to industry Devised and self initiated projects Collaboration through pitched projects Laboratory work Research Performance in Graduation Season Developing future projects Managing a career pathway

There is no average week for a third year actor!

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"Having dreamed of being an actor from the age of 3, there is no way I could ever have made it a reality without the skills, confidence and discipline l gained at Toi Whakaari.

There is no other experience in life quite like the 3 years you spend at Drama School, a truly unique experience that teaches you more about yourself andthose around youthan you ever thought you could know!"

Rachel Forman

Acting Graduate 2005
Life is a Dream, Backstory (Silo), Some Girls, This is Our Youth, Blood Wedding (Circa)

 

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